The 'Shanghai Spirit' of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development, advocated by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), is the key to the expanding influence and appeal of the SCO, the organization's secretary-general Zhang Ming said in an exclusive interview with the China Media Group(CMG).
First founded in Shanghai back in 2001, the SCO has grown into a trans-regional organization comprised of 10 full members, two observer states, and 14 dialog partners. Back in July, Belarus was formally accepted as the 10th member state of the organization at the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO held in Astana.
Noting the entire SCO "family" now totals 26 members, Zhang said there are further applications awaiting approval.
He pointed to the organization's commitment to its core principles as outlined in the "Shanghai Spirit", which has been guiding the organization since its inception, as being the "secret" to its success.
"The development and expansion of the SCO shows the improvement of its influence, appeal and attraction. What is the secret behind it? I have also thought about this question. I think, it is the basic principles and rules advocated and upheld by the SCO, and the 'Shanghai Spirit' we have been always upholding, that give the organization such attraction. Under the guidance of the SCO spirit, we have always advocated fairness, respect, and equality. Our member states can be very comfortable, and share good relations with each other in this family. All cooperation we promote within the framework of the SCO is based on our consensus, and all cooperation is mutually beneficial. This kind of cooperation has brought great impetus to the development of every member state. Such benefits can also generate appeal, drawing more countries to join such a family," he said. China took over the rotating presidency of the SCO for 2024-2025 back in July, and will next year host the 25th meeting of SCO Heads of State Council.
SCO's appeal comes from commitment to "Shanghai Spirit": secretary-general
The three astronauts of China's recently-returned Shenzhou-20 mission on Friday shared the experiences of their dramatic 204-day space mission, including detailing the emergency procedures which were implemented to bring them safely home after their return capsule was struck by space debris.
The trio -- Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie -- met with the press in Beijing on Friday afternoon, marking their first public appearance since returning to Earth in November.
When detailing the emergency response mechanisms which were enacted prior to their scheduled return, the astronauts explained that upon discovering a triangular crack on the spacecraft's viewport window, they immediately took photos for documentation and transmitted them to the ground team, who swiftly activated an emergency plan to get the trio home safely.
Experienced mission commander Chen Dong explained how the crew had complete faith in their colleagues on the ground to find a solution to these unforeseen circumstances which led to their return being delayed.
"First, we must trust the ground team, who would anticipate everything and develop the safest return plan for us. Second, we must believe in ourselves; as well-trained astronauts, we have the ability to manage various unexpected failures. I believe that with the collaboration of astronauts and researchers on the ground, our space home will surely go farther, more steadily, and for a longer time," he said.
Following their extended stay in space as a result of the debris incident, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent a total 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest duration by a single group of Chinese astronauts.
During their mission, they completed multiple payload operations, conducted extensive scientific experiments, and carried out four extravehicular activities.
"Our crew worked together with the ground team in unity and coordination, completing four extravehicular activities, several payload entry and exit tasks, and a large number of scientific experiments. It was a fulfilling yet challenging mission. The path to exploring the heavens is long and arduous, but I firmly believe that China's space missions will succeed," said Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot who was making his first spaceflight during the mission.
"From the ground to space, from learning to application, I have deeply felt the solid progress of Chinese space endeavors and the quiet dedication of countless personnel behind the scenes. In the future, I will accomplish each mission with full commitment, living up to the trust of the motherland and the people," said fellow astronaut Wang Jie, who was also making his debut spaceflight.
After returning to Earth on Nov 14, the trio successfully completed their isolation recovery and rehabilitation and will now resume normal training following health assessments.
The crew's return, originally scheduled for Nov 5, was postponed due to safety concerns, with the astronauts later using the return capsule belonging to their successor crew of the Shenzhou-21 mission to get back to Earth. China later launched the unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft which will serve the future return of the crew now aboard the Tiangong Space Station.
Shenzhou-20 astronauts share experiences after safely returning from debris incident
